Steps
by Talchum
Summary: A conversation between Lee and Neji. Friendship. One shot. In character, at least that's what I strived for.


**Merry Christmas! I've had this one going in my head at around the same time I wrote The Genius of Losing. Remember that moment in the anime when Shikamaru & Co. met up with Neji and Lee? Neji apparently walked with Lee down the stairs, which makes an awesome snapshot! Well those were some HUGE stairs, so I imagined a conversation they could have had while journeying down. Yes, I LOVE those little moments.**

**Keep in mind that bit actually isn't cannon. In the manga Lee and Neji just show up out of the blue. I think the anime did real justice with adding that scene. **

**Remember, Gai was away on a mission when Lee had his surgery. By the time he returned Lee was busying going drunken fist on the Sound nin's ass. **

**This story came together rather quickly. I hope everyone enjoys!**

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"I heard your surgery was a success." Hyuuga Neji stated as he and Rock lee stood at the edge of the steps, looking out into the distance. Lee paused for a moment. Quietly he chose how to respond to Neji's comment. The battle with Gaara that had left him questioning his future had done more than traumatized him physically. The last several weeks had been a battle of frustration and emotions, wondering if anything would be the same for him ever again. 

And even after that fateful operation, when it was announced that he would make a full recovery, Lee was still left bewildered. The feeling of loss and helplessness lingered.

"Yes." Lee could not bear to turn and look at his rival. He couldn't help but feel a bitterness toward the Hyuuga. While in the hospital Team Gai visited Lee on a regular basis. Tenten was concerned, but tried hard to remain optimistic. Gai's exuberance and faith was unbounding, but even Lee could detect the underlying wave of sadness that his sensei kept reserved.

"Is it ok for you to come out already?"

Neji visited Lee the least. Lee understood the reasoning. He was after all, in the middle of training for the final part of the Chuunin exams. When he did visit, though, Lee found himself wishing that his rival didn't bother to come. The Hyuuga remained cold, aloof, and preoccupied. He never asked Lee about his condition, never showing the least bit of concern or care.

It was this attitude that had hurt Lee. Lee had always looked at Neji with a mixture of jealousy and awe. He pushed himself, seeking to not only beat his teammate, but to also gain his approval. They had spent a lot of time together at the Academy, and even more time after they became teammates. And through their constant fights a part of Lee figured that somehow, through it all, they had managed to become friends. But that idea diminished with every visit that Neji made.

"I was told that I would be able to do some light training soon."

The time the two spent together was tense, the air thick with silence. Neji's outlook on life had changed, thanks in large part to Naruto. But towards Lee he was no different. Lee still felt like the obsolete dropout when around him.

"I see." Neji glanced over at his teammate for the first time. His interest suddenly turned down towards the stair. Lee looked at Neji, then followed his gaze.

Kiba, Shikamaru, Naruto, Chouji. They stood at the bottom, looking up at the two boys, a grim look on each of their faces.

"Something must be going on." Lee hobbled over closer to the steps.

"What are you doing?" Neji asked, sharply.

"I want to go and talk to them. They all look strange."

Suddenly Neji was beside Lee, wrapping Lee's left arm around his shoulder as he held him by the waist.

"Neji, I can get around fine!" Lee insisted, slightly annoyed.

Neji did not respond, instead taking the first step down, and then patiently waiting for Lee to follow suit.

70 steps. Lee knew exactly how many steps there were. He had ran up and down those same steps thousands of times. And now, at that instant, he silently dreaded going down them.

"I am... slower than usual..." Lee said, slightly ashamed.

"They will wait."

Lee looked down at the four youths, who were indeed, standing there patiently, as the two boys took each step slowly, one at a time.

"I will regain my speed..." Lee nodded. "But sometimes I cannot help but wonder.. Will it make a difference?" Lee felt his companion shift slightly. "I was fast and strong and yet there was never a time that I could defeat you. And even with opening the Inner Gates... I was unable to defeat Gaara. I still chase my dream, to become a great ninja... but now I am always asking myself... Will the effort ever pay off?" Lee did not cry. He had cried all he could these last few weeks, and now the tears were incapable of coming. "Will I continue to fail?"

Another step. Neji did not respond. His attention was on the ground, quietly navigating each step that they took. Lee shook his head. He expected no less of a reaction from his companion.

They made their way down, slow and unsteady. At one point Lee almost fell forward, but Neji clung firmly to him by his waist. It was the same as it had been in the hospital. Silence.

Gai's talk previous to the surgery had managed to encourage Lee to go ahead with it, but the teacher's absence had left the pupil feeling lost. It was at that moment that Lee missed Gai. It was always him who had encouraged Lee to be a better Shinobi.

_Gai Sensei, at least you continue to have faith in me, even when I do not have faith in myself. _

A few more steps. Halfway down. They would be at the bottom soon. And then Lee would know what was going on.

"Fate paves the road we walk on." Neji suddenly said. "It paves many roads, and leaves it to us to decide, which one to take. We can be the failure or the genius." Neji paused, and glanced up at the sky. "The light or the darkness." he shook his head, and turned his attention back to the stairs. "And by choosing the road one walks it ends up being us, and us alone, who decides our own fates."

Lee's mouth dropped open. He would have stopped walking in shock, had he not been forced on by his rival.

A smile crossed Neji's face. Actually, it was that smirk. That know-it-all smirk that always annoyed Lee.

"I was never able to keep you down, Lee." Now Neji did stop, and Lee stopped with him. The Hyuuga turned, and looked at his friend. "No matter how many times we fought, how hard I beat you, for as long as I did... I could never keep you down. You always came back, faster, stronger, harder." he turned his attention back to the stairs, and took another step. "Just like I knew you would with this operation." this last part he stated as if it was a simple side note.

Lee's mouth was still hanging open, absorbing everything that was just said. For him, it was almost beyond comprehension. And in his mind he went over the words, examining them for some sort of misinterpretation. But there was none. Could it be...

_Neji..._. _You... you always had faith in me, too!_

They were getting closer to the bottom of the stairs. Through misty eyes Lee looked down at the group that was waiting for them. Chouji's face was unreadable. Naruto looked serious and determined. Kiba was showing signs of impatience while Shikamaru looked as if he actually enjoyed waiting on them.

Lee blinked his tears away, searching for the right words.

"Neji, I..." Lee wanted to say how he always felt about his teammate. That next to Gai Sensei Neji was the finest Shinobi he would ever know. He wanted to thank him.

"I..."

_I admire you! I am proud to call you my rival! You are..._

"Yes?" Neji asked. Just a few more steps

_...my true friend..._

"I promise that one day, Hyuuga Neji, we will face off in the greatest of fights! And it will be I that emerges victorious! That is the most passionate of promises!" With the arm that was wrapped around Neji's shoulder he gave an awkward thumbs up, smiled and winked.

Neji chuckled and closed his eyes. The last step.

"I know, Lee. I know..."

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**I really don't know what it is that i find fascinating about Neji and Lee's friendship. probably because there is so much emphasis on Sasuke and Naruto (of course) while Neji and Lee's relationship is exactly the same. Of course the manga does not focus on it, but it's nice to imagine.**

**Poor Neji has become my muse. As I said earlier I like those little moments that are mentioned, but not expanded upon. I finished another story about a promise Neji apparently made to Gai that I will post later after some tweaking. :)**

**Thanks for reading, and your comments are appreciated.**


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